By Nigel Maxwell

SARM calls for more support to stop Clubroot

Dec 19, 2018 | 2:00 PM

Representatives from the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities (SARM), have been fanning out across the province discussing Clubroot with rural municipality (RM) councils.

There were 37 sites in Saskatchewan positively identified this year by plant health officers as having the canola killing disease. SARM President Ray Orb said farmers from all corners of the province need to be on alert.   

“It looks like it’s more in the northern districts, not so much in the South yet, but that’s a big concern to us nevertheless,” he said. “I guess we will wait and see what happens next year but we are hoping the spread stops.”

The RM councils are being encouraged to adopt a bylaw, allowing plant health officers on properties, without need for permission, in order to test for and monitor Clubroot. The RM’s are also being encouraged to have a person trained how to watch for and manage Clubroot. 

“We are hoping that RM’s will be cooperative because it is a big issue,” Orb said.

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Orb said SARM’s plant health officers will provide the training at no cost, and the officers themselves are available to help as well, with the mindset being having as many eyes on the ground as possible. One of the RM’s identified as having Clubroot is the Rural Municipality of Meadow Lake. Reeve Tim McKay said council quickly adopted the bylaw.

“I think it’s just a pretty good idea to get a handle on it,” he said. “And no disrespect to farmers because I am one myself, but a lot of people don’t check their fields that close and some don’t know what to look for so if you have someone checking then you have an idea how widespread the problem is.”

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell